When God Redirects: Clayton Inman on Brotherhood, Calling, and Letting Go

Melody talks with Clayton Inman of Triumphant Quartet about the brotherhood that’s kept the group strong for 20+ years, blessing his son Scotty’s move to solo ministry, and the “widowmaker” heart scare that nearly stole his voice. It’s a candid look at holding plans loosely and trusting God to lead every season.

Transcript

Introduction to Clayton Inman

Speaker 1 0:00

Hi, I'm Melody and you're listening to Quirks, bumps and Bruises. On this episode of Quirks, bumps and Bruises, I sit down with Clayton Inman of Triumph Foot Quartet and we talk about all kinds of fun things. Take a listen to the actual breaks that we played on air on the Morning Joyride last week with Melody and Clayton. Well, good morning and welcome to Joy FM. Welcome to the Morning Joyride. It's Melody, along with you, as always. But hey, y'all, I'm not playing this morning because I have one of my favorite people in the world and I will say that my other favorite person is his son the one and only Clayton inman from triumphant quartet with us this morning. How in the world are you?

Speaker 2 0:49

melia, I'm doing super.

Speaker 1 0:50

I hope you're well too I'm doing well and I thank you for getting up early and and hanging out with me. I don't know if you know this. I may have told you this recently when we were at site farm but candy had Candy had a baby. Did you know that? No, I did not know that. Candy had a baby at 40 years old and she's got two other kids. So now she's got three kids and she made the decision to be a stay-at-home mom and she left me, Clayton, she left me.

Speaker 2 1:19

Well, okay, okay, okay. Here's the thing. I knew that you told me that day that she decided to. She was moving from the station, but somehow in the conversation I totally missed the part that she just had a baby she did.

Speaker 1 1:35

She had two boys and she had a little girl, and as the baby gets older the bows get bigger. So now the bows in her hair take up her whole entire head.

Speaker 2 1:48

But go big or go home.

Speaker 1 1:49

That's right.

Speaker 2 1:50

That's the motto.

Speaker 1 1:51

And, if you remember, Candy is very frou-frou, very girly, girly, and so she's just having such fun with this baby and she is still doing a Saturday, Sunday afternoon show for us here at Joy FM. But she just there's just no way. She lives about 40 minutes away and to get up with three kids and get here for a 6 am morning show just wasn't going to happen. I'm thrilled for it Now. We were together for 18 years, so it's been hard to not have her with me. But hey, I've got the next best thing, I've got you right.

Speaker 2 2:22

Oh well, okay, that's a stretch, that is a stretch.

Speaker 1 2:27

Well, we have got lots of fun stuff coming up, with Clayton coming up on the Joyride. You're not going to want to miss it. We'll talk about Clayton and what's going on in his life, what's going on and the music of Triumphant, and just have a little fun together. This morning it's Melody along with you on the Joyride, but not just me, because I don't like being solo all the time, usually most of the time. So I've got Clayton Inman along with me this morning and you know him, you love him and we love him so much here at Joy FM. And so, Clayton, good morning to you first of all.

Speaker 2 3:00

Good morning to you, Melody. An honor to be a part of your morning here as co-host for about a few minutes.

Speaker 1 3:06

Hey, we got you from the morning. We got you from 6 to 10, right 6 to 10?.

Speaker 2 3:11

Okay well, yeah, yeah, yeah, Okay, well, however long you need me.

Speaker 1 3:14

You better go grab that second cup of coffee, or you're going to keep doing this thing.

Speaker 2 3:17

No, I know I'm going to have to.

Speaker 1 3:25

Well, first of all, let's do this, let's catch up a little bit on your life. So what's going on? That's fun and happening for you.

Speaker 2 3:28

Well, actually, this is all I've known since 1983 and getting on a bus and traveling. And honestly, when I joined I'm getting to a point here when I joined Triumphant, we were at a theater and I really thought my traveling days were over. Back in 2000, the end of 2002, I thought it was over, but come 2008, things took a turn. Louise Mandrell had retired from the theater and so we stayed a couple years with the owners there, but then we made a decision to go on the road. And here I am, back in 2008, back on the the road again, and that's what Triumphant has done now for the last. Well, since 2008 has traveled. We formed in 2002, and this is what we've known here for almost 23 years, and it's what we do day in, day out. It's everything. I mean, that's all we do. We travel and we go to venues throughout the country and sing the gospel. When you ask what's been happening with me, that's all that's been happening with me.

Speaker 1 4:31

That is your life. Yep, I know you guys. It's amazing to me and that's got to be a calling. I don't think you can stick with anything that long. A lot of times people will say, how in the world have you been on a morning show where you have to get up at 4 am every day for 18 years? And I'm like it's not a job, it's a calling. So I don't think you can continue to do something. That's hard, you know, unless you really feel that way. And so I admire you all so much, clayton, because Triumphant is kind of one of a kind. Now I know you've had a little change with Scotty. You know a little bit back, but for the most part you guys have stuck together for so long. How long were you together before Scotty went out solo?

Life on the Road with Triumphant

Speaker 2 5:16

I want to think 21 years, maybe because I'm not good at math. We formed in October of 2002, although we didn't do any dates on the road until January. But Louise Monroe took us on in November just to sing a few songs in her show. But we actually formed in 2002, and he left September 1st of 23.

Speaker 1 5:44

So wherever the math is, on that yeah, yeah, I'm not gonna figure it out either yeah, yeah, a long time let's just say a long time, and I know by goodness, being so involved in southern gospel music, that that's almost unheard of, because there's let's put it this way there's a lot of moving and shaking. That usually happens within groups of Southern gospel, so for y'all to be together that long without any changes is really kind of Well. It says a lot about you all as a group. I think it shows that you really like each other.

Speaker 2 6:18

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah and here's the thing. We're brothers and I'm throwing it out there. There have been times in the past where there might have been moments of intense fellowship but meaning, you know maybe they get on your nerves sometimes.

Speaker 2 6:40

Yeah, and I really got on Scotty's nerves a lot, but we're brothers, we're brothers and really, to be honest with you, when we were traveling in a van and a trailer back during the theater days, we were forced to talk it out Whatever was going on. Talk it out Because there was nowhere to go in that van. Right, right, you're in a van. You're still, you know, two or three feet from the next person. Oh, you've got to work it out and we worked out a lot of stuff. And next thing, you know, we're so close as brothers that it's like I get on the bus with my family every week.

Speaker 1 7:17

Right, and you just got each other's back. You know, yeah, we do and, like you said, if you're around people a lot, especially in close quarters, as you all are, there are going to be times that you're going to have kind of a bad day. Your things are getting on your nerves more than the other times, and but when you've got that brotherhood that you're talking about, then you respect each other, you give each other space, I'm sure, and and you just keep going, you just keep going.

Speaker 2 7:43

OK, we're a funny group, we're a funny bunch. We might pull up to a mall somewhere in the USA and we pull up to a mall because we want to know that everyone can spread out and get whatever food they want to eat themselves. And you know, somehow or another, we all end up at the same table After everybody gets out and gets their food. We still end up at the same table after getting everybody gets out and gets their food.

Speaker 2 8:07

We still end up at the same table eating, so otherwise there's no real spreading out. You got your own food, but we still sit together. Yeah, there's something about and, like I said, we're brothers. Yeah, so the best friend, the people, my best friends that I have or who I travel with, and it's very obvious when you're on stage together, singing together.

The Brotherhood of Triumphant Quartet

Speaker 1 8:24

It's so obvious that there is just that love for each other and that mutual respect as well. We're going to be talking more with Clayton coming up. We've got all kinds of topics that we can throw out to Clayton to see his ideas and opinions on. So stay with us here on the Morning, joyride. Good morning, Welcome to Joy FM and the Joyride. It's Melody and it's Clayton Inman. You know him and love him as much as we do of Triumphant Quartet co-hosting with me today on the morning. Joyride and Clayton, we've already talked about you know you and the guys and what you all have been doing lately, but I want to get a little bit more personal with you. Let's talk. Let's talk grandkids. Ok, that's a great topic, right, that's?

Speaker 2 9:06

an amazing topic, amazing yes.

Speaker 1 9:08

Can you imagine? Because I have two grandsons and a third grandson on the way in November and those boys are the absolute love and joy of my life and I don't know about you, but can you even imagine life without your grandkids?

Speaker 2 9:24

no, and we've heard the stories, people, we've heard people say this all the time it's a different world when you have grandkids, and I've heard that for years and years and years, and I'm standing here along with you saying there's so much truth to that it's a whole different world.

Speaker 1 9:40

It's an amazing world I could just eat them up. And both of mine. They're only like three months apart. They're three years old. So life is loud. Life is kind of loud right now, but so much fun. And now you have how many grandkids I have four, okay.

Speaker 2 9:58

Four grandchildren.

Speaker 1 9:59

All right. So Scotty has two and your daughter has two, is that right?

Speaker 2 10:03

My daughter Jordan, her husband Joey have two, and Scotty and Casey have two. My oldest one is Embry. She becomes a teenager on Sunday, the 24th of August anyway. And then there's second in command is Tristan incredible baseball player, young kid. And then Bo is next, and he's an incredible basketball player, young kid. And then Bo is next, and he's an incredible basketball player, incredible kid. And then Adeline we call her Addie, but Tristan and Addie belong to Jordan, Embry and Bo belong to Scotty.

Speaker 1 10:36

Yeah, Now I'm friends with Scotty and you know Scotty and I are buddies and so I follow him, you know, on social media and such, and I know all the grandkids are just probably excel in different kinds of things. But since I do follow Scotty on social media, I see a lot about his kids and let me just tell you something I believe you may have a little basketball star in the making with Bo.

Speaker 2 11:01

Yes, I hope he follows through with it because we have a young I say young guy. He's not a young guy, he's an older fellow who is a personal coach, in other words someone you hire to train, and he saw something in Bo and offered to help train him. He's worked with a lot of basketball players in that region up in Kentucky there and the number five scorer in the state of Kentucky in high school went to Butler County, where Scotty and them live, and he trained him. He saw something in Bo that would put him in the same area. There he graduates in 2034. So between now and then we'll find out the future for Bo Inman.

Speaker 2 11:41

He's an amazing basketball player.

Speaker 1 11:44

Yes, and I've seen videos. Sometimes Scotty will post some videos and my son was so big into sports so I know my dad was a football coach. My brothers all played sports. We were a huge sports family, which we'll talk more about that in just a moment. So I know a little bit about sports. And watching Bo just doing like dribbling exercises, I'm telling you I can know a little bit about it, but he's he's got talent, so I hope that he will stick with that as well. You know, unfortunately, sometimes as they get older, their interests change. Well, obviously we love talking about our kids and all the wonderful things that God has blessed them with in terms of their talents and their interests. So in just a moment we'll talk a little bit more with Clayton about how we as parents help our kids follow through in whatever interests they have Teaching them responsibility, teaching them commitment and just the perspective that maybe Scotty has when it comes to doing that for his own child.

Speaker 1 12:48

That's coming up here on the Morning Joyride. It's Melody and it's Clayton Inman. You heard that right, the Clayton Inman co-hosting with me today on the Joyride. What an honor. That is, clayton. Thank you for being here.

Speaker 2 13:01

Hey, I'm glad to be along with you there, Melody.

Speaker 1 13:04

There's not many of our artists who really want to get up with me this early. Now.

Speaker 2 13:12

They want to do the co-hosting thing, but they want to do it like at 4 pm.

Speaker 1 13:16

Well, that's because we think 4 o'clock shows up once a day. Well, unfortunately that's not a morning show. But a few moments ago we were talking about grandkids and something. If you're a grandparent you get it. You love to talk about your grandkids and we're talking about the different talents that they have. But Scotty's son, bo, has really got quite a talent in basketball. I've seen videos of him, I've watched him do different ball games and he's just good. I mean, for his age he's just good. And so we were talking about how, as kids get older, their interests begin to change a little bit and how we as parents need to try to help guide that to an extent. And, clayton, you had kind of a different perspective on that when it came to Scotty and Bo.

Speaker 2 14:03

Yeah, and honestly, knowing that if retirement ever comes I'm not sure if retirement will ever come I would love to go see my grandson, tristan play baseball and Bo play basketball, and you know there is a, I believe there is a future for both beyond high school and I would love to see that. You know that's us. We lay our plans out and but sometimes God will throw a curveball at you and you know this is not what I want, this is not what I want for you. So that came in with Scotty.

Speaker 2 14:32

Scotty played baseball from like six years of age, all the way up into high school, and he was during high school years he was at the ball field almost every single day helping the coach and he was at the ball field almost every single day helping the coach and he was so involved and in his junior year he ended up having a couple of schools looking at him to play ball beyond high school and we really thought that he was going to play baseball for somebody. After high school, scotty, that particular summer, went to a camp and actually actually, he was saved during that camp and what happened was he came back from that camp and he came to me and said hey, dad, I want to learn how to sing a song. Oh, okay, because at that point he had never even wanted to sing in front of anyone.

Speaker 1 15:21

He and I were singing in the car together, but he really didn't want to sing in public.

Speaker 2 15:25

So he had a I forgot I think the song was Temporary Home, but yeah, he had a cassette tape up. And so I sat in the bedroom with him there and let him sing. And I realized I said he said, well, what do you think? I said, man, all I have for you right now advice is just keep doing what you just did, because even then, without any type of training, it was good. It was good.

Talking Grandkids and Family

Speaker 2 15:50

And so the next thing I know somebody heard him sing, or he was learning how to sing whatever, or wanting to sing. So our youth minister got him to sing one night for youth night and he said, dad, I don't want you there, I don't want you there. And so I did show up, but I sat out of view so he didn't know if I was there or not. And it was amazing. It was amazing to hear him sing and I thought, wow, well, his senior year of when baseball came around, his senior year he made the decision to walk away from baseball and he wanted to quit and we kept encouraging him. You know, finish out the year, finish out the year Two of the things that we realized he did every single day in the house. He either had a ball, a ball glove with a ball in it, you know kind of, you know faking like he was throwing, or swinging a bat in the house.

Speaker 1 16:42

Right.

Speaker 2 16:43

And me and Michelle watched him for a week and he never picked up either one of those things and we realized, okay, he's done, he's done. So he didn't play baseball that year and from that point on, music became the thing, and not long after high school he got an opportunity to sing for Phil Carson Full Voices. And then, the next thing, you know, he's with Triumphant Integrity at the time.

Speaker 1 17:11

Well, it does show how God can change our hearts. He can change the things that he wants us to do, and that is just a perfect example of not only Scotty doing it but, you know, obeying what he felt like in his heart the Lord wanted him to do, and so I love that, I love that story. I never knew that that he was, you know, probably headed in one direction but then just took, you know, a complete turn. And, hey, that voice and that talent in songwriting. Imagine Southern gospel music without Scotty Inman, right.

Speaker 2 17:45

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I guess what I'm trying to say here. We can make our plans, but it's really up to God. Yes, In the end.

Speaker 1 17:54

Oh yeah, when I try to make my own plans, it's a mess. It's usually just a mess. So well, thank you for sharing that mess. So well, thank you for sharing that. I think that's that is just. It just makes me think of Scotty, even in a whole different way, and love him even more. Well, thank you, and you need to stay with us here on the Joyride because we've got lots more fun stuff to talk about.

Speaker 1 18:19

So it's Melody and it's Clayton Inman, and we've been talking a little bit about sports, because we were talking about Clayton's grandkids that are talented in one in baseball, one in basketball, and so Clayton, with that topic in mind, for all of us college football fans, our wait is almost over. Did you know that? Because Saturday, from Dublin, ireland, it all kicks off Kansas State versus Iowa State, and then here in the United States, the following Saturday, it's Texas at Ohio State, and then the week after that, the NFL, it's going to be settling in. It's going to be nonstop until after New Year's Day. So let me just ask you, because, as you can tell, I'm a football fan Are you a college football fan?

Speaker 2 19:05

Yes, more so than pro. All I can say is go Vols.

Speaker 1 19:09

Yeah, I figured. So you like the color orange, don't you?

Speaker 2 19:14

Yeah, I love that bright ugly orange. I love it.

Speaker 1 19:17

Well, and see, I live in North Carolina. So you know, and here we've just got, you know, we've got, of course, the Carolina Tar Heels, we've got North Carolina State Wolfpack, you know, we've got Duke Blue Devils and we've got Wake Forest Deacons. I live in just so much ACC land.

Speaker 2 19:38

You do. Half the ACC is in North Carolina.

Speaker 1 19:41

I know. My older brother went to Carolina, my younger brother went to State, I went to UNC in Greensboro and my dad was a huge Demon Deacon fan from Wake Forest, so our family was just all over the place. But I'm one of those girls, clayton, that gets up on Saturdays and watches College Game Day. Do you ever watch that?

Speaker 2 20:02

Every single Saturday? Do you ever watch his college game day? Do you ever watch that Every?

Speaker 1 20:05

single Saturday. Is that not like the great? That is such a great show and I think, is it this Saturday that it gets started back? I think it is, it is, and Lee Corso is going to be his last one, that's right his last one, yes. Yeah, it's either this Saturday or the next. I'm thinking maybe this Saturday, but I'm not sure.

Speaker 2 20:26

I haven't kept up when that starts? All I know is Tennessee plays next week in Atlanta. All right, okay, so it probably does start this week. If Kansas is in, you're saying Kansas is this weekend.

Speaker 1 20:37

Well, yeah, but they're in Ireland for like a. You know it must be a. Whatever kind of game, it's Kansas State.

Speaker 2 20:44

They opened last year in Ireland. Okay gotcha. All right, game day. Game day, yes, yeah.

Speaker 1 20:50

Well then, the next Saturday Texas is at Ohio State. That's another biggie, of course as well. But love football, love college football in particular, and so, hey, I'll do it for you Clayton Go Vols.

Speaker 2 21:05

I know that hurt, I know that hurt.

Speaker 1 21:07

A little bit, a little bit, a little bit. Good morning. It is the morning joyride that you're listening to right here on Joy FM. Lots of joy happening, and even more so for me today because Clayton Inman is along co-hosting the Joyride with me. And so, first of all, good morning, clayton, and thank you for being here.

Speaker 2 21:29

Well, good morning to you, Melody, and thank you again for letting me be a part of this today.

When Scotty Left Triumphant

Speaker 1 21:33

Well, it has been such fun and I've learned some things about you in the process. But I want to talk about this. This is more of a serious topic than maybe you know us talking about college football. But, as you know, scotty, a few years back, left Triumphant to begin his solo career, and, of course, scotty is the son of Clayton. And so, clayton, I want to ask you this because my heart kind of went out to you when that went on. Not that I know that you 100% knew that Scotty was doing what the Lord, you know, prepared for him. I know you had no doubts about that, but I couldn't help, but kind of my heart kind of hurt for you because of this.

Speaker 1 22:15

My daughter went to our church. We've been to church together, lindsay and I sing together, we've taught children together and we got a new pastor and, to make a long story short, she ended up marrying that pastor that was at our church. Well, he was there for about seven years and then the Lord moved him to another church family and when that happened, my daughter who I had, you know, worshipped with, sung with, taught children, with all those things went away just like that. And so, in your situation, you traveled with Scotty and you sang together, you were on the bus together, father, son, just I'm sure that the memories and the moments of you know just overwhelmingly great things. And he steps away to go into where the Lord has led him. So tell me, kind of, what your heart was feeling during all that.

Speaker 2 23:09

I think early on, although I made a video about it. And when I did make the video I know I kind of lost it a few times, but I think that's just a natural of my part to do something like that. He and I had talked almost a year prior to that time that it actually took place or when he gave his notice, and so it didn't catch me by surprise, because there was a year of constant father dad talking about what was on his mind, what, what he felt compelled to do and such, and he was more concerned about me than anything else and I just didn't like him. I said you know, buddy, at that time I was 64 years of age. At that time and I told him I said, hey, let's do the math here. I'm 64 and you're 41.

Speaker 2 24:00

And this is back in when he gave his wondering when to give his notice and he was concerned about me. What was going to happen to me? I guess you might say he knew the group would go on, but he was walking away from that. You know, let's say I sing 10 more years. That puts me at 74. I said that puts you at 51. And that's almost a little too late to start something that you want to do in music.

Speaker 2 24:26

And I said to me the time is now, because you don't want that window to close on you. That was me telling him. You know, if you're going to do this and I encourage you, if you want to do it, you do it. Do it now, so and don't wait. And I said don't, don't worry about your dad, don't worry about me at all. It's going to be great because if this is God ordained on your part, then the things that happen with Triumphant is going to be God ordained too. If you do it. I just ask you to do one thing for me. He said what's that? I said finish well, whatever you do.

Speaker 2 24:55

I know, because I don't know if anyone on listening here has ever been on a job or been at a place where you work and you gave your notice, and the toughest days to work at that office are after you, from the time you gave your notice to the time you have to leave that period of time. It's kind of like it's not lame duck, but it's almost like you know your mind's somewhere else. Your mind is where you're supposed you're wanting to go. And I just asked him buddy, just finish Well, he said, no, I will finish. Well, and he did. He finished, he was triumphant all the way to the end. And we celebrated him that last day in Pennsylvania and you know, and so it was good. It was good, but we were completely fine. I told somebody. They said why don't you tell him to stay? I said I'm sorry. I'm sorry, ma'am, that's not up to me.

Speaker 2 25:46

Yeah right, this is out of our hands, because I don't want, I'm not going to get. If this is God ordained, I'm not getting in the way of any of that, because then that means that I'm telling God you made a mistake. So that's not happening with me, and that's why I want to encourage somebody out there today. If someone in your family or friend or whatever is going through something and they feel like the leading is there, it's best that we don't get in the way of those things.

Speaker 1 26:14

Yeah, you never want to stifle what the Lord has laid out for somebody else's life, because blessing always follows obedience, and I think in this particular instance we've seen that Scotty has thrived beautifully where he is and triumphant. You know. The Lord provided y'all with like an excellent replacement for Scotty and y'all were just, you know, sounding as good as you've ever sounded together as a team, and so, I think, blessing Well, I don't think. I know that blessing will always follow whatever the Lord calls for us to do, if we just will do it. And but, like I said, I couldn't help it. Kind of my heart kind of went out to you because I understood because of my situation, even though I had to let her go. I was proud of her. It was a situation that she kind of didn't want to go, but she knew God had planned that for them and she did it and they've been blessed. But I'm not going to lie, I still miss her at church a lot.

Speaker 2 27:10

Oh, yeah, yeah, absolutely, I get that and I will say this Sean Barber, who came in and is now the lead singer here, he was a godsend he was. I can't think of anyone that had any better fit for the group than him.

Speaker 1 27:24

Yeah.

Speaker 2 27:25

Because it's one thing to be a fantastic singer, but can you live with that person?

Speaker 1 27:31

Oh, I think that's probably more important. As close as y'all have to be in terms of traveling, I think I would rather have the better fit that way, and the music maybe not as good than the other way around.

Speaker 2 27:45

Well, the man I traveled with back in the Singin' American days, ed Hill, he told me a long time ago. He said I will take. You have an amazing singer that you can't live with, hard to live with, and you have an okay, singer, that's amazing to live with. He'll say I'll take that okay, singer every single day.

Life After 60: Still Thriving

Speaker 1 28:00

I agree with that. I agree with that. Well, thank you for being kind of transparent and open to us talking about that situation with Scotty, and we're thankful for where God has led him. We're thankful, Clayton, that you're still with Triumphant as well. Stay with us here on the Joyride. We're going to talk to Clayton in just a second about how much he cooks. Stay with us. Y'all All right Cooking in the kitchen. Clayton, I'm going to put you on the spot. Do you cook at all?

Speaker 1 28:29

I do not. The reason I ask is this Earlier this week I talked about how there are two kinds of people. There is the one who cooks and there is the one who talks to the cook as she or he is cooking, and so I think I just figured that out. So if, Michelle, your wife is in the kitchen cooking dinner, are you kind of hanging around talking to her, or are you watching a ball game on TV?

Speaker 2 28:55

Really, I don't know where I am.

Speaker 1 28:57

You're on the bus, aren't you?

Speaker 2 29:00

I could be anywhere in the house. I could be anywhere in the house during that time.

Speaker 1 29:03

So you don't necessarily enjoy sitting on a stool while she's cooking dinner and talking.

Speaker 2 29:09

Oh no, we talk all the time but the kitchen's not that big I might stand there. I think we got into a conversation yesterday while she was cooking and I was standing there talking to her. But the only cooking I do is I might grill out on occasion and or, if I get really hungry, I'll scramble me an egg. That doesn't really look scrambled but it's edible.

Speaker 1 29:32

Well, if it makes you feel any better. I have been married for 40 years, just celebrated that 40th year recently, and my husband is just like you. He can grill out and does pretty well with that, but anything else ain't going to happen. So do you just not like it or just nobody ever really taught you so, therefore, you just don't want to fool with it.

Speaker 2 29:54

You know what? It was just easier to make a sandwich. So I'm about convenience.

Speaker 1 30:00

And we're talking laziness, is that?

Speaker 2 30:02

correct. Well, I'll look at it this way, I'll look at it this way. I stand in awe. I stand in awe of those who cook and those who put out the spread and they will work hours to do that and I'm just amazed by that, the dedication, because it's going to be good and it's over with in 15 minutes. The eating part is over. So they spent and, believe me, my mom was one of those. She can put on, she could cook and it was amazing, by the time we got done eating, it took us 15 minutes to put away what it took her two hours to make.

Speaker 1 30:38

And then another two hours to clean it up.

Speaker 2 30:40

Yeah, so the math doesn't work out for me on that, yeah To where I want to do it. I'm thinking let me make me a sandwich and move on.

Speaker 1 30:49

Well, I'm kind of like your mom was, I am. I love to cook for people. I did like a nine course Titanic meal one time for eight. Eight friends, four couples. Nine courses like nine nine Wow.

Speaker 1 31:05

Yeah, that was a long time ago. I don't have the energy anymore. I just don't have it in me anymore. But I love, I do love to cook for people, have everybody come over, sit around the table and just talk, I love that. So I'm I'm one that loves to cook, and it's a good thing, because if I didn't, my husband and I would not eat at all. I guess, there you go. Good morning and welcome. It's Melody and it's Clayton Inman, co-hosting along with me this morning, and Clayton and I are pretty much the same age. Clayton, you and I are now considered senior citizens. Did you know that?

Speaker 2 31:43

Yes, yes, and I am only three or four months away from Social Security.

Speaker 1 31:49

Well, which means we get free coffee at McDonald's, but anyway, yes, that Uh-huh For reduced pricing or whatever. Yes, yes, yes, and that's me as well. So there was a study that recently came out that said that the most productive years of anyone's life is between 60 and 80. So think about that. Moses was called out when he was over 80. So what do you think about that? You may have the biggest years of your life ahead and you already are doing everything. What if there's even more for you, Clayton, More for you, my friend.

Speaker 2 32:27

Well, funny, you should say that, because that is the. I say we have plans. I've made plans that were in direct, whatever it's what God wanted. I didn't make plans without Him. But we, you know, prayed, went with it, all good. And I still have those kind of plans up until the day that I pass. I have those plans, I've all those plans laid out for the next few years. So I'm planning on those years being some of the biggest. Now, what they're going to be, what they are, I don't know. I have no idea, I don't know. But I would rather wear out than rust out.

Speaker 1 33:01

Just keep moving, just keep moving.

Speaker 2 33:03

Keep moving, keep moving.

Speaker 1 33:05

Yes, I would rather do that because I look at Lord Mercy, kentucky Fried Chicken guy, colonel Sanders, he didn't begin Kentucky.

Speaker 2 33:11

Fried Chicken until he was 64.

Speaker 1 33:12

Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, I know.

Speaker 2 33:14

And here we are.

Speaker 1 33:15

I agree, but I have to tell you that I'm getting up at 4 am for 18 straight years. I know I need to keep moving. Well, here's the thing, but there could be some naps in there.

Speaker 2 33:25

You know what I'm saying, well, well, yeah, I guess yes, but the things that are to happen later on in life, there's nothing saying that those things are going to happen with me, with Triumphant, or you with the radio station. But I have no idea what God is planning for my future. I don't know that, and it could be something. It could be like the new season of something. We all have that. We all have that and we're open to it. We can see great things happening that he is planning If we just keep an open eye and open ear and open heart to what he's saying to us.

Speaker 2 34:07

I mean, I don't want anybody to quit anything. I don't want you to quit anything. I don't want you quitting radio station, I don't want to quit triumphant. But if I say I will never quit, that means OK. I'm telling God I don't care what you have planned, I don't care what you have planned, I'm not quitting. So I can't do that, I refuse to do that. I didn't do it with Scotty, I didn't. I'm not going to do it with me.

Health Challenges and God's Timing

Speaker 1 34:27

Yeah, and I think the Lord, the Lord, begins to just kind of I don't know a better word tickle your heart a little bit when you know that it's time to make that change, to make that move. You begin to sense it. Sometimes it may be a year or two before that you just sense that it's moving that way and but yeah, but if, if, if my retirement years don't include some naps, I'm going to really be disappointed If my retirement years don't include some naps, I'm going to really be disappointed.

Speaker 2 34:54

Yeah, yeah, here's the thing I consider myself pretty healthy, I do.

Speaker 1 34:58

Oh you are. You've got no healthy smelthy there.

Speaker 2 35:01

Gracious Well here's the thing. Here's the thing. I consider myself that guy. I really thought my closing in on my years being over, because in 2023, the whole year of 23 and first half of 24, I mean I was hiding behind the guys singing. I couldn't sing. There was something going on in my body. I could not figure it out. Yada, yada, yada, and my doctor did a stress test on me in March of 24 and I really thought my singing days were numbered. He did a stress test and then he found out that I had blockage in the main artery of my heart. The widowmaker was like 90% blocked, wow. And so I had a stent put in, and right after the stent was put in it wasn't right away, but right after that my voice came back and so what I thought might be done God said no, not yet, not yet. So you know that got treated and all. I feel fantastic. Again, I feel amazing.

Speaker 1 36:01

You know, losing your voice saved your life.

Speaker 2 36:03

Yeah, yeah, I didn't know why it was going. I thought, well, maybe I'm done, you know and so, but I wasn't done. But I think, like you said, I totally agree with you. I think the nudging will be there. I think it would be obvious to you and those around you that, hey, you know what? I think there's something else on the horizon, but at this moment I know we're talking about this, At this moment that's just not there yet.

Speaker 1 36:29

Right, well good, that's good news. This at this moment, that's just not there yet. Right, well good, that's good news, because we all want to see you continue to wave that white flag.

Speaker 2 36:38

Clayton Inman, I said did you wave the flag tonight? I said, well, I stretched so I'm probably going to be good Please do, please do.

Speaker 1 36:44

Clayton, thank you for hanging out with me today. I loved it.

Speaker 2 36:48

Thank you, mellie, honored to be there. Thanks for letting me be a part of your morning.